Opening a pretentious dance club (Houston, Vega: home, shop, move)

[Alphalogica]

Originally Posted by Energy_Fin_Guy

Should it be really too hard to fill up Thursday-Sunday with 200 people? I mean, is this city of Houston always going to be not a real city?

Go ahead and see for yourself.

Pretty soon people will be able to go clubbing virtually due to continued advances in computer/communications technology.


http://www.secondclubs.com/2009/04/ambrosia-dance-club.html (broken link)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain-computer_interface

[Energy_Fin_Guy]

Originally Posted by Alphalogica

Go ahead and see for yourself.

Pretty soon people will be able to go clubbing virtually due to continued advances in computer/communications technology.


Second Life Club Reviews: Ambrosia Dance Club ★★★★★ (http://www.secondclubs.com/2009/04/ambrosia-dance-club.html - broken link)

Brain

That's pretty sad. But I can see it happening in the boredom that is Houston where people drive to go two blocks.

[texas7]

Houston is just different - people have money but very few are big spenders on nightlife. For the most part the vast majority are interested in upscale pubs and the like where they can just grab a beer with friends. The rest are the younger crowd who are looking for a cheap place that looks nice where they can hope for hook-up. It's a real city just not Miami or LA - each city is unique and it is what it is. If you want to open a bar - look for a niche that isn's so pricey and a smaller place. Check out Anvil in Montrose - pricey drinks but a rather smallish venue and certainly not pretentious. People love it but I don't think the vast majority of Houston people like pretentious - it really just isn't Houston. Its been tried before - particularly when they tried to turn downtown into upscale clubs - it only lasted a short while (think Oz and a few others of similar ilk)

[Poltracker]

Been tried, worked for a little while then the owners had to expand the entry because THE crowd had other interests (fickle). Houston attitudes are not generally as pretentious as Miami or NYC or for that matter, Dallas. Go ahead and give it a try, but don't expect it to last as high end more than 9 mos.

[Oildog]

Clubs tend to make most of their money in the first 3 months, then the newness dies off and the Uptown crowd wants something else. Visit the venues downtown and ask why they have not had 'long term' success.

[GoneToHouston]

You can do anything you put your mind to. Almost every huge success story I've ever heard starts with people going against the grain, taking the road less traveled by, defying others negative thoughts, and believing in their goal even when everyone else was telling them no. Do your research. Take your time; don't rush into it. Make sure you really, really educate yourself on the city, its people, and its clubs and why the ones that weren't successful failed, and why the successful ones are different. Take your time getting the PERFECT location/spot. Pour your sweat, blood, and tears into the project--work your behind off making sure that you know everything you need to know and are doing everything you need to do to make your club the first of it's kind to succeed.

One of my favorite quotes: "Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration--it's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing." ~Muhammad Ali

haha :-)

[Proud2bPinoy]

Originally Posted by Energy_Fin_Guy

Houston night life seems like it's very "good ol' boy" for the most part. Much more like a college town (Austin), than other big cities: NY, LA, Miami, etc..

A good friend of mine is moving back to Houston (where he grew up) after few years in Miami. He has some entrepeneurial thoughts in mind among which is the idea of opening a South Beach type club in Houston. I am considering investing some of my savings to fund this idea and hopefully make a good return.

Althought I am not blind to the different vibe between Miami and Houston, I believe in a city of 5+ million people there is a market for anything. Having partied at Miami's hottest clubs several times, I have come to notice this is what characterizes them:

1. A sexy youngish (21-35) crowd ready to party, 60 percent women, 40 percent men (this is what keeps men coming)
2. Selection at the door based strictly on look, returning clientele or willingness for men to buy their way in ($600 on average for a table with two bottles)
3. Stricly house music spinned by fairly to very famous DJs (no hip hop at all, which makes a natural selection of clientele if you know what I mean :-))
4. Typically cover charge for men is $25, women it just depends on thir look (can be free or can be less than $25)
5. Drinks average price at $14-16
6. Promoters at the door dressed in a suit, huge bouncers inside the club (also in a suit)
7. Amazing/unique, luxurious and fancy club design
8. Very good looking female bartenders and dancers in skimpy bikinis
9. Club doesn't have to be necessarily too big (think of Mynt or Mokai)


Why Houston?
1. There is no such club. The most pretentious clubs I have seen are on Washington, but they don't come even close.
2. Lots of young people (apparently one of the top cities for single) with good disposable income (probably more so than in Miami on average given the better job market and cheaper cost of living)
3. No other club in the city spins House music
4. Similarity with Miami in the sense of Latin American population (people come to Houston to shop at the Galleria, which means they have money to spend)
5. A fair amount of Europeans Expats (think energy industry) who all tend to hate hip hop music and typical American style clubs

What do you all think? Is there a market for this in Houston just as there is in other big cities NY, LA, etc? Location would be key, so where?

lol i dont go to clubs. isnt this discrimation?

[diablo234]

In my opinion I just say go for it. Houston's nightlife could use some more diversity.

[MrSykes]

Originally Posted by Proud2bPinoy

lol i dont go to clubs. isnt this discrimation?

Of course it is. Number 3 says it all. Another reason the OP should definitely reconsider this ill-advised idea.

[Energy_Fin_Guy]

Originally Posted by Proud2bPinoy

lol i dont go to clubs. isnt this discrimation?

To an extent, selection at the door happens at most clubs.